Yes, you did read that correctly: never quit quitting.  Don’t be “that guy” at the office who has been working in the same place for 27 years and who has been unhappy for 26.9 of those years.  In the words of Peter Gibbons from the 1999 movie Office Space, “So I was sitting in my cubicle today, and I realized, ever since I started working, every single day of my life has been worse than the day before it.  So that means that every single day that you see me, that’s on the worst day of my life.”  For those of you who have seen the movie, I’m not encouraging theft or fraud whatsoever; I am only discouraging you from trapping yourself into a terrible job.

Of course, there are some qualifiers on that statement.  First of all, you have to give new things some time.  It’s hard to start a new job or project or even a hobby, but in time, you may find that you love it. In the job world, that means at least 6 months.  If you work somewhere with a cyclical aspect to it (seasonal jobs, for example) try to stick it out through at least 2 full cycles.  However, if you feel you have given something a fair chance, don’t be afraid to move on if it’s not for you.

Secondly, always keep enough money in the bank so that you could walk away from any job at any time.  If you are so miserable at work that you cannot wait until you have another job lined up, you don’t want your paycheck to be the only reason to stay.

Finally, before you do anything drastic, keep in mind that “job jumping” can make potential employers hesitant to hire you in the future.  Employers spend tons of money training new employees and they hate to see that cash go to waste on someone who makes swift exits.  Don’t be afraid to be honest in your interview by stating that your last job was not for you.  Make sure you can also illustrate why this new job is different from the last one.

Quitting is underrated.  Do everyone a favor and go find something that makes you happy before you become the Peter Gibbons of your office.